Corn-planter.



H. L. DOOLEY.

CORN PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27, 1911.

Patnted Feb. 16, 1915.

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H. L. DOOLEY.

001m PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27, 1911- Patented Febflfi, 1915.

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HARRY L. DOOLEY, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO DEERE & MANSUE00., A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CORN-PLANTER.

inmates.

Application filed January 27, 1911.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY L. DOOLEY, acitizen of the United States, residing at Rock Island, in the county ofRock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Corn- Planters, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in seed planting machines, moreparticularly those of the type ordinarily used for the planting of corn,and known as check row planters.

The object of my invention is to provide in combination with the planterdriving mechanism and the seed separating and depositing devices animproved mechanism for controlling and adjusting the operating gear forthe said seed separating and depositing devices.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Ihave shown as a whole a planter which may be considered, so far as itsgeneral arrangement is concerned, to be of a type well known in the art.I have shown attached to this planter and forming a part thereof, theparticular mechanism which constitutes my present invention.

Of the drawings Figure l is a plan view of the planter as a whole. Fig.2 is an en larged plan view of the gearing and associated elements. Apart of the gearing is shown in section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevationtaken looking forward of the parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is afragmentary cross sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents as a whole the main frame of theplanter. This comprises two side bars 2, 2 and the front and rear crossbars 3 and 4.

5 is the main axle which is rotatable in suitable bearings connectedwith the cross bars.

6, 6 are the main driving and supporting wheels secured to the axle 5.

7 represents as a whole the forward or transverse frame. This comprisesbars 8, 8, and the tie pieces 9, 9. Pivotal connec- Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

Serial No. 605,105.

tions 10, 10 are provided between the forward ends of the bars 2, 2, andthe tie pieces 9, 9. The relative positions of the two frames 1 and 7are controlled by means of a suitable lever system which is indicated inthe drawings by 11.

12, 12 represent the seed separating and depositing devices. These maybe of any usual or preferred form, and a detailed de scription of themwill not be necessary. It will be sufficient to point out that they aredriven by means of bevel gears 13, 13 and the bevel pinons 14, 14 whichare mounted upon the transverse seeder shaft 15. 16 is a rock shaft andcarries the check wire forks 17, 17. These forks are adapted to beactuated by the buttons of a check wire to rock the shaft and cause theoperation of the seed separating devices by means of the mechanism whichwill be hereafter described.

The mechanism which I have shown for driving the seeder shaft is similarto that covered by my co-pending application for improvements invariable seed planters, filed May 11, 1910, Serial No. 560,642. For thesake of convenience, however, I will briefly describe this gearing. 18is a clutch connected with a short jack shaft 19 parallel to the mainseeder shaft 15. This shaft is supported in the bearing brackets 20 and21. The clutch 18 comprises a disk part 22 and a drum part 23 adjacentto it. The disk part 22 is keyed to the shaft 19 and the drum part isrotatably mounted on the shaft and is continuously driven by means of achain 24 which passes over a sprocket wheel 25 on the main axle and asprocket wheel 26 secured to the drum part of the clutch. The details ofthe clutch are not shown in the drawings as these details constitute nopart of my present invention. It will be sufficient to say that theclutch comprises a suitable pawl and ratchet mechanism by means of whichthe disk part 22 can be connected to the drum part 23 in such a way asto be driven thereby. N ormally the pawl devices of the clutch are heldin inoperative position by an arm 27 on the rocker shaft 16. As hasbefore been stated, the rocker shaft 16 carries at its ends check wireforks 17 17. When one of the check forks is engaged by a tappet on acheck row wire, the fork is swung backward and carries with it the shaft16 and the arm 27. This movement of the arm 27 serves to release thepawl of the clutch to permit it to operatively connect the disk 22 tothe continually rotating drum 23. In this way the clutch acts to drivethe shaft 19. This movement of the shaft continues for a halfrevolution, whereupon the clutch arm 27 having been returned to itsnormal position by the spring 28, engages the pawl mecha nism of theclutch to disengage the two clutch elements. This intermittent actuationof a rotating part by means of a clutch mechanism controlled by thecheck forks, is well known and is commonly employed in the art.Ordinarily, however, the clutch mechanism is mounted directly upon theseeder shaft. This driving mechanism which I have shown for purposes ofillustration, is different from that ordinarily used in that a separatejack shaft is employed, as has been described. The seeder shaft isdriven from the jack shaft by means of gearing which is adapted totransmit to the seeder shaft at each actuation of the jack shaft anadjustable amount of an gular movement. This gearing comprises threespur gears 29, 30 and 31, which are of different sizes and which arerigidly fixed on the clutch shaft 19, and three spur gears 32, 33 and34- which are mounted upon the seeder shaft 15 in mesh with the gears29, 30 and 31, respectively.

In the preferred form of my invention as shown in Fig. 2, a sleeve 35 isprovided on the seeder shaft 15. This sleeve is slidable on the shaftbut is secured to it to rotate therewith by means of a pin 36 whichextends through the shaft and which engages at its ends withlongitudinal slots 37 in the sleeve. The gear 32 is provided with a hubin the form of a hollow cylinder 38 which surrounds the sleeve and whichhas a bearing in the bracket 39. The gear 3ft is similarly provided witha laterally extending cylindrical hub 40 which has a bearing upon theshaft 15. The gears 32 and 34 have on their adjacent sides to the hubsannular flanges which serve as bearings for the central gear 33. Each ofthe gears is provided with central annular openings in which are locatedteeth, four teeth being provided on each of the gears 32 and 34 and sixteeth on the gear 33. One end of the slidable sleeve 35 is adapted toenter the hollow annular spaces within the gears 32, 33 and 34. This endof the sleeve is provided with lugs 4-1 which are adapted to engage withthe teeth of one or another of the gears to connect the said gear withthe sleeveand through the sleeve with the shaft. Therefore, by changingthe longitudinal position of the sleeve, either of the gears 33 or 34Lmay be connected with the seeder shaft 15 and the angular movement ofthe shaft will be varied in accordance with which gear is operativelyconnected. The sleeve 35 is provided with a two-part collar 42, theparts of which are clamped together to inclose the sleeve by means ofthe bolt 43. Flanges 4.4: and engage the collar to hold it againstlongitudinal movement relative to the sleeve. 4:6, 46 are horizontallyextending pins disposed at diametrically opposite points on the collar4:2. at? is a rock shaft or lever provided at its ends with trunnions 4Sand 49 which are pivotally and slidably mounted in brackets 50 and 51. Acoil spring 52 surrounds the trunnion 48 and by engagement with thebracket 50 serves to hold the rock shaft or lever 47 normally at therearward limit of its sliding movement. The rock lever i7 is providedwith an upstanding forked arm 53, the forks of which embrace the collarand are provided with vertical slots adapted to receive and engage theoppositely disposed pins 16, l6 on the collar. Suflicient clearance isprovided between the forks of the arm and the collar to permit limitedsliding movement of the rock lever in its brackets. 5% is another arm onthe rock lever l7. This extends upward parallel to the arm This armcarries a foot 'treadle 55 which may, for the sake of convenience, be aseparate piece bolted to the arm. The bracket 51 is provided with anupstanding part which has on its forward edge three V-shaped notches 56,56. The arm 54: carries a pointed tooth 57 which is adapted to engagewith one or another of the notches 56. It will be observed that the rocklever a7 is forced backward under the actionof the spring 52 in such away that the tooth 57 is at all times held in engagement with one of thenotches. The complete engagement of the tooth with a notch isfacilitated by the beveled surfaces of the tooth and of the notches.

The operation of my improved device will be readily understood. As hasbeen before stated, the seeder shaft 15 can be rotated at each actuationof the ack shaft 19 through any one of three angles depending upon whichof the gears 32, 33 and is connected with it. The connections betweenthe seeder shaft 15 and the seed separating and depositing mechanismsare such that when the shaft is rotated through a small angle by thegear 34, a small number of seeds, as for instance two, is dropped byeach seed separating mechanism. hen the gear 33 is connected with theseeder shaft, it is rotated through a larger angle and a larger numberof seeds, as for instance three, is dropped. When the gear 32 isconnected with the seeder shaft, it is rotated through a still largerangle and a still larger number of seeds, as for example four, isdeposited. The connection of one or another of the gears to the seedershaft is effected by changing the position of the slidable sleeve Thisthe driver accomplishes by placing his foot upon the treadle 55 andpushing forward suliiciently to move the rock lever 1-7 against theaction of the spring 42 to disengage the tooth 57 from the notch 56 withwhich it may have been engaged. When the rock lever is thus pushedforward, it can be freely swung laterally about its pivotal axis bymeans of the foot treadle. As the rock lever is swung, it of coursecarries with it the sleeve 35. After the sleeve has been moved intoposition to engage the proper gear, then the driver releases his footfrom the treadle 55 and the spring 52 throws the rock lever back, thetooth 57 entering one of the notches 56;

If desired, the bracket 51 may be provided, as shown in Fig. 3, withfigures 4:, 3 and 2 which indicate the number of seeds deposited at eachactuation for each position of the treadle. It will be observed that thespring 52 cooperating with the inclined edges of the notches 56 alwaysserves to move the parts into one or another of their cooperativepositions and hold them there. With my improved construction it isimpossible for the driver to carelessly leave the gear controllingmechanism in an intermediate position such that two of the gears areengaged at the same time or such that no gear is engaged.

What I claim is:

1. In a corn planter, the combination of a frame, an axle and drivingwheels for the frame, two transversely opposite seed separating anddepositing mechanisms on the frame, a drivers seat on the frame, atransverse seeder shaft operatively connected to the seed separating anddepositing mechanisms, a series of differently speeded gear trainsinterposed between the axle and the seeder shaft, a transverselyslidable device for connecting any one of the said gear trains with theseeder shaft, a transversely movable controlling element for the saidtransversely slidable element, the said element being within the reachof a driver on the seat and bodily movable independently of the saiddevice forward and backward parallel to the lines of movement of theplanter, and means automatically acting to lock the said device againsttransverse movement when it is in one position of forward and backwardadjustment.

In a corn planter, the combination of a frame, an axle and drivingwheels for the frame, two transversely opposite seed separating anddepositing mechanisms on the frame, a drivers seat on the frame, atransverse seeder shaft operatively connected to the seed separating anddepositing mecha nisms, a series of differently speeded gear trainsinterposed between the axle and the seeder shaft, a transverselyslidable device for connecting any one of the said. gear trains with theseeder shaft, a controlling element for the said transversely slidabledevice within the reach of a driver on the seat, the said element beingmovable transversely about a fixed longitudinal axis and being alsobodily movable independently of the said device forward and backwardpar-- allel to the lines of movement of the planter, means positioned tobe engaged by the said element at one extreme of its forward andbackward movement to lock it against transverse movement, and a springfor normally holding the said element against the locking means.

3. In a corn planter, the combination of frame, an axle and drivingwheels for the frame, two transversely opposite seed separating anddepositing mechanisms on the frame, a drivers seat on the frame, atransverse seeder shaft operatively connected to the seed separating anddepositing mechanisms, a series of differently speeded gear trainsinterposed between the axle and the seeder shaft, a transverselyslidable device for connecting any one of the said gear trains with theseeder shaft, a transversely movable controlling element for the saidtransversely slidable device, the said element being also bodily movableindepend ently of the said device forward and backward parallel to thelines of travel of the planter and being provided with a rearward facingfoot rest within the reach of the foot of a driver on the seat wherebyit can be moved forward and then transversely, a spring for normallyholding the element in its rearmost position, and means in position toengage the said element when in the said rearmost position to lock itagainst transverse movement.

4C. In a corn planter, the combination of a frame, an axle and drivingwheels for the frame, two transversely opposite seed separating anddepositing mechanisms on the frame, a drivers seat on the frame, atransverse seeder shaft operatively connected to the seed separating anddepositing mechanisms, a series of differently speeded gear trainsinterposed between the axle and the seeder shaft, a transverselyslidable device for connecting any one of the said gear trains with theseeder shaft, a transversely movable controlling element for the saidtransversely slidable device, the said element being also bodily movableindependently of the said device forward and backward parallel to thelines of travel of the planter and being provided with a rearward facingfoot rest within the reach of the foot of a driver on the seat wherebyit can be moved forward and then transversely, a

spring for normally holding the element in Iii-testimony whereof I afiixmy signature, its rearmost position, and a brackethaving inpresence oftwo Witnesses.

notches with inclined edges adapted to en- 7 r gage the said element andautomatically HARR1 DOOLEY' move it transversely into one or another of\Vitnesses:

its active positions as it is moved backward OsoAR F. LUNDAIIL,

by the spring.- ROBERT M. ADAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

